Tag Archive: centrifugal brake clutch

In our December blog post we explained how centrifugal clutches worked and why they are valuable components in industrial equipment. In this month’s post we are discussing how a centrifugal clutch can solve problems that may be stumping even the most experienced maintenance team.

In the course of a day, there are many practical problems that occur to slow down, stop, or damage mechanical equipment and as many practical solutions to remedy those problems. As we have experienced, many problems could be solved by using a properly sized centrifugal clutch.

A BLM clutch provides the following solutions to solve or eliminate common equipment problems (listed in boldface type) associated with these conditions:

Cuts the duration of high amperage draw when motor is starting to less than one second.

Overheating motors when starting is prevented by providing the equivalent of a no-load start.

Using oversized motors for starting, which can cause shock loads and bad power factor, are not necessary since the clutch enables using a motor with a capacity closer to the running load.

No need to use reduced voltage starters since simple across-the-line starters can be used with a clutch.

Starting shock, a condition that causes damage to moving parts and is a major cause of equipment maintenance, is not an issue with a BLM clutch since soft starts increase the life of components such as belts and gears.

Fragile materials (wires, thread, paper) are often subject to breakage as the result of stating shock; the gentile, low torque starting of a clutch eliminates breakage and downtime.

Difficulty of starting heavy loads is problematic but a clutch selected for cushioned, high torque starts can easily handle heavy loads.

Motor burnout because of overloads won’t occur with a clutch that slips before the motor is damaged.

High overload torque capacity of the motor causes overload damage. A properly selected clutch slips under the overload at a torque level lower than the motor capacity.

Sudden overloads that cause damage due to the flywheel effect of the motor rotor are eliminated because the clutch will slip when a jam-up occurs to protect against damage to the motor.

BLM has the experience and expertise to engineer custom centrifugal clutches that will solve the most challenging equipment problems. If you are experiencing any of the above problems, you will see immediate improvement after installing a centrifugal clutch from BLM.

Contact us to speak with an expert at solving difficult mechanical problems!

Need a centrifugal clutch for a specific application? Fill in the details below!